I have come across some older remedies for problems/maintenance tasks which we still perform. According to a maintenance book from the 1930s-40s:

- Scale and dirt accumulated from use of river water in automotive radiators and engines may be cleaned by using at least a 50% mix of water and white/apple cider vinegar, run for at least an hour at 150 degrees or better, then drained, followed by a vigourous clean water flush (preferably city water).

- leather and cowhide seats may be preserved by cleaning with saddle soap, followed by an application of neat's foot oil, then rubbing to prevent stains. This should be followed by sealing with wax paste, to keep the oil inside the skin

- rubber parts may be made smoother and prevented from cracking by rubbing a mixture of clean clock oil and white grease on the affected areas (wow, I almost used dirty clock oil).

- Tire valves should not be filled with clay to prevent them from being damaged, instead, old chewing gum may be used if metal caps are not available.

anyone got any others?

__________________
Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

I wonder how you get the gun out of your tire valves when it's time to put more air into them?

I have used white vinegar to get rid of calcium build-up on water valves, shower heads, and faucets, so I know that works well.

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Vinegar is acid, aluminum is an alkali metal, guess what wins.

Same deal with the radiator flushes, the pH is low (acidic) to eat the scale, but it eats everything and is not particular, so citric or vinegar, it's going to do some damage.

Saddle-soap and mink-oil used to be my leather treatment.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff